Three STEPS Across AFRICA

Adventure and magic are closer than you think as Savanna Douglas found out on a whirlwind trip

A FLIGHT TO ZIMBABWE

My first thought about Victoria Falls town is that it’s quaint, but teems with life. Cafes, bars, gift stores and craft vendors stretch along the main road and the nooks between. There’s always a mix of tourists and locals out and about, as marimba bands play on street corners and town vendors catch the eye of curio and craft collectors alike.

Shearwater Explorers Village is nestled between the bustle of this little adventure town. It boasts a village of private chalets complete with all of one’s typical creature comforts and more. In the mornings, an inclusive breakfast at leisure awaits before meeting your adventure for the day. Shearwater is perfect if you’re looking for a family-friendly adrenaline fix. I get a sense of magic as I stand and look out from one of the 19 viewpoints on our walking tour of Victoria Falls. I see the white curtain of water cascading into the Zambezi River below. A rainbow appears and greets us, as Zimbabwe’s national flower, the fire lily, gleams in the corner of my eye, peeking out from the rainforest we had just trekked through. I feel as though I have tapped into the pulse of Africa, but I’m just a short flight away from home. Hiking the 1.7-kilometre wide waterfall aptly named ‘The Smoke That Thunders’ is only one of the many magnificent views you’ll get of Victoria Falls when visiting Shearwater. You can also soar over the falls by helicopter, take a walking tour of the historic bridge, or go zip lining and bungee-jumping with full views of the falls. If you’re keen, hike down the gorge and hop on an adventure boat that takes you right up against the mighty seventh wonder.